pte
er's
when Daddy called me in
t heavy sense of foreboding weighing me down. I saw a sort of pity in Zack's face when paused to let me catch up, and glanced back at me. I was already searching my mind, trying to think of what I might have
avy oak door. Zack knocked twice, an
en he closed the door again, shutting me inside with my father. Daddy was hunched at his desk, and he didn't look happ
d his desk. I didn't limp because I had bad legs, just beca
ge,because somehow it didn't feel safe to relax. Daddy was
. When he looked up, his face had hardened, and when he spoke, he spoke with his fir
Pack, I have agreed to a marriage alliance. You, Harper Laurier
? Daddy! How could you??" I ,whispered in shock. Arranged marriages
t you, but you're having their Alpha heir. We are small and vulnerable, and we can't say no to them
hipping through me, I cou
ake advantage of this chance, you have other options..." I had one older sister, who was smart and s
me as his heir's mother. I am the most ordinary, nondescript, and insignificant o
. I'm the weak one. I'm the expendable one. And I'm the one wh
.. condition." He never knew quite how to refer to my fault but I knew everyone in my pac
d my consent before you sell me off "for
kened. "If you refuse, I will disown you, and you wi
f the family and out of the pack and make me go rogue? Who was this man, beh
here, she never, ever would have allowed him to do this to me. But she was l
lone she-wolf without a pack. I wasn't physically strong as usual with this baby, but more importantly...I couldn't s
if it meant sacrificing his own daughter. Although everything inside me was raging
ger meet his eye,and stared down at my toes instead. I
ied that I would actually choose exile over a forced marriage. But when he spoke, it was the heartle
So soon? But you sai
o come immediately. Emma will come and help you pack" He shuffled the papers on his
ather speaking to me like that...like
their greetings. I shut the door in my room and managed to lean back against it before the strength left my legs and
love,and I would never get to experience t
n who would complete you and make you whole. All happiness and satisfaction was tied up in that one, fated person. And
the pack house poked her head in. "I was told to come assist you, Miss Harper." I si
said dully. "I'm le
f they were being kept in the dark too. I wasn't sure I could face themn right now. I pulled two suitcases out o
on the bed. I was a no-nonsense kind of girl when it came to fashion. I wondered idly if there would be a real wedding dress fo
in jewelry box into the bag. There was my leather bound journal,and my laptop. Other things seemed too childish to
the work finished. I felt a little sad that the entire of my 19 years of life could
he facts. My own father considered me expendable. The River Bed Pack had demand
ed teddy bear and curled up on the bed,and tried to shut my mind to all the hurt and all the worries that were eating at me. My mother would h